


A Cousin's Conversation

by Evangeline_Pearl



Category: Original Work
Genre: Cousins, Friendship, Gen, Male-Female Friendship, Talking About Relationships
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-10-15
Updated: 2017-10-15
Packaged: 2019-01-17 22:54:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,737
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12375831
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Evangeline_Pearl/pseuds/Evangeline_Pearl
Summary: Anastasia and Harlequinne are cousins, coworkers and fellow workaholics. When Anastasia's distraction drives Harlequinne to concern, it takes more than a little cajoling to get her to speak her mind but everything she has to say points to one irrefutable truth: love. Someone's finally thawed the Ice Queen's heart, but she's not about to give in yet!





	A Cousin's Conversation

**Author's Note:**

> Just a character exploration piece for two of my characters. It doubles as a world building exercise as well. I will be adding more as I write them.
> 
> Enjoy the ride!

Harlequinne had to wonder what was up with his secretary. She was flawless and as efficient as always—her work was always done in half the time he could possibly expect from anyone else, and she was still on top of things enough to anticipate what and when he needed things done. However, she was distracted. Perhaps not enough for the average individual to catch, but enough for him. They were one of a kind after all—workaholic of the extreme sort. And his cousin's stone-face façade was quite honestly falling apart.

"Tasha," he called out to her quietly, the childhood nickname drawing her attention to him like a shark and blood. "Did something happen?"

She blinked golden eyes at him, curiously wide, then turned the brightest shade of fuchsia he had ever seen on her. "No, no, it's nothing." But he only stared at her beseechingly and she flailed uncharacteristically. "A friend of mine decided to adopt a kid, and I wouldn't trust him to be able to feed himself appropriately, much less a child!"

Harlequinne lifted an eyebrow. "That's all?"

"Yes," she said decisively, then skated her eyes to the side and added in a tailing whisper, "Well, no. But I don't want to talk about it."

He nodded and passed another stack of papers in her direction, "Don't let it occupy too much of your time. I'm not paying you to emulate me."

She threw a stress ball at his head without shame, "Shuddup, Quin. I'm not daydreaming. Unlike somebody. Especially with your anniversary coming up."

Harlequinne waved a hand at her, leaning back in his chair with a smug look on his face even as he continued to sign the papers strewed across his desk. "But isn't Asher absolutely adorable though? He thinks I have no idea what he gets up to."

"You're a sadist, Harlequinne. You just like watching him flail and flounder as he tries to hide things from you," Anastasia rebuked without remorse, slapping the company stamp across three documents. "I still haven't a clue how you guys work together. Then again, I suppose idiots are quite like birds. You tend to flock together."

"How mean," he pouted at her, lobbing the squeeze ball back at her for the comment. "I am not an idiot."

"Didn't even try denying it for Asher though, did you?"

"I will admit, he's not all together upstairs, but he gets an A for effort and enthusiasm, don't you think?"

"He's pushy, loud, flashy, and annoying. I dare say those traits are only 'cute' in your unique perspective Quin."

"You should see him—"

"Harlequinne. If you dare finish that sentence, I swear, I will stuff your mouth with jalapeno peppers."

"Anya!"

"Don't need to hear it, boss. My life is perfectly in the balance without hearing what you two get up to at night."

"And here I thought you were particularly interested in the wellbeing of our relationship."

"Just because I gave Asher my reservation does not mean I am in anyway interested."

"I could have sworn you were into that sort of thing."

"What? You thought I was a fujoshi? I am offended, Quin. I thought you knew me better than that. I am most definitely a fujoshi, but only of the two dimensional sort. Reality leaves far too much to be desired, and your relationship is one step shy of being a master and pet type."

"Wow."

"Is it really that surprising? I thought all stuck up women had some sort of secretive perversion than no one knew about."

"Okay, now I'm  _really_  surprised."

"How so?"

"You actually called yourself stuck up."

"It is my prerogative to be aware of my faults."

"Really?"

"I am well aware of my 'anti-fun' personality. It just happens to be my hobby to watch people scramble in my wake."

"And you call me a sadist."

"I never said  _I_  wasn't."

"True, that is true."

"Your next appointment is in twenty. Please tell me you have everything done."

"Who do you think I am?"

"An idiot."

"Tasha!"

"Don't call me that."

"I will if I want to."

". . . I will change your contact information to Adrianna-Lucielle."

"Fine!"

"Good boy. See, this is why I like dogs. They are quite obedient."

"Are you comparing your boss to a dog?"

"You have startlingly similar traits."

"Oh?"

"The wild hair, the posturing. You're very much an alpha male. You work best under conditions of stress, and especially with chances of rewards rather than when threatened with punishments."

". . . You've been thinking about this for a while now, haven't you?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why?"

"Because I am a dog person and I like dogs!"

"Wait what?"

"You are distinctly a cat person, Quin."

"Hold up. I'm like a dog but I'm a cat person. Anya, you're not making sense."

"If you would let me finish. . ."

"Okay, okay."

"You're like a dog. But you and Asher are like a. . . Pitbull pinning down a kitten. He's quite flighty and has an attention seeking personality to match. He's in the modeling industry which is obsessively concerned with one's appearance. I could go on for much longer, but you should start seeing my point now."

"I suppose so. But it's that cattish personality that is so adorable."

"Because you are a dog! You instinctively like to chase them up trees and tease them into a fritz. You cannot say you haven't noticed."

"Perhaps I have. Then what are you?"

"Hm?"

"You say you are a dog person, but are you a cat or a dog?"

"I am a cat. But hardly a domesticated one."

"So a cougar."

"Quin, your jokes are not funny."

"Fine, fine. A panther then."

"Why do you say so?"

"You're sleek, compact but far swifter and more dangerous than anything else in this entire building. You're a loner, and you like watching over things from high places. Your antisocial behavior offputs everyone around you, and that in turn makes them fear you."

"I see."

"Besides, I didn't quite feel right saying alpha bitch."

"So you do have tact."

"I wasn't aware that was something in consideration."

"It has been. For a while now. But I suppose it would be more accurate to say you choose not to utilize said tact very often."

"Oh?"

"You're quite known for being blunt, straightforward and quite abrasive."

"I did not know this. Why did I not know this?"

"I was under the assumption you knew and simply didn't care."

"It is your job to inform me of such things!"

"I was under the impression you already knew!"

"Well, I did not."

"That is quite clear."

"What else is out there about me?"

"I am probably not the best person for this. . ."

"Anya."

"Sorry, boss. Well. We've managed to keep your relationship a secret. So you're said to be focused on work, with hardly an eye to appreciate the finer things in life—"

"Asher is quite fine if I may so myself!"

"Sir."

"Yes, yes. I'll shut up now."

"You only ever attend parties with me as your date, and this temporarily caused rumors of a supposed affair. I put those to rest last year. Now, there have been several attempts at usurping my position in order to supposedly charm your pants off. Most are incompetent so we reroute them to the Department."

"Hold up. People thought  _we_ —as in you and I—were dating?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

"In some people's eyes, we make quite the picture together."

"Hmm."

"Yes?"

"I can see it."

"Really?"

"Well. I am quite handsome and you are certainly beautiful even if you appear quite distant and cold. I can imagine the capable secretary is very compatible with a likewise minded CEO."

"I can't see it."

"Why not?"

"As we have already discussed. You are an alpha male canine, and I am a. . . panther. We are both sadists, and predators nonetheless. We think alike and we are far too similar to each other. I imagine our compatibility at work would only hinder us in any sort of romantic relationship."

"That is true. I am sorry to say I doubt I could ever be attracted to you."

"Considering you are an idiot, I could hardly be attracted to you either."

"But you do have a dog you're interested in."

"How in the world do you manage that?"

"Well this friend of yours has to be of the canine variety."

"Why do you say so?"

"You wouldn't be concerned as to whether he could feed himself if he was a cat."

"How astute."

"Indeed, I am."

"No need to inflate that ego of yours."

"But I was correct."

"Partially."

"Oh?"

"He's a puppy. A Doberman if I were to be specific. Quite loyal, but rather vicious. Still too small for his paws though."

"He sounds adorable."

"You'd eat him alive for lunch."

"I'm surprised you haven't."

"He's a friend, and we've only just met each other again in nearly five years."

"I can hardly call that a reason not to take a bite."

"You are a vulgar variety of the canine species, Quin. I, however, am not."

"Yes, my dear. What is stopping you then?"

"I have no interest in putting a collar on a wild beast if he only intends to run off again."

"Ah."

"What now?"

"Abandonment issues."

"What."

"You don't want to put in the effort of reeling him in if the pup's just going to bounce off at the next shiny bright thing. You're afraid he'll just settle for now and leave at the next opportunity."

"Well, for all that he is a loyal little son of a bitch, he has his own commitment issues."

"So do you."

"I am aware."

"Are you?"

"Yes."

"Then why not simply ask the man."

"I highly doubt his brain could handle a conversation of this sort."

"Not quite the intellectual?"

"Perhaps not."

"My, my. What a pair we make."

"Indeed." Anastasia stood up and collected the papers on his desk. "Thanks, Quin."

Harlequinne laughed, shrugging his shoulders. "It's nothing. A friend's going to do what a friend ought to do."

She nodded and bent to press her lips against his temple, "A best friend. I'll send in your next appointment." Striding out the door, she glared at the doorman that was texting as she approached. The glower had him rushing to put the device away and he sweat nervously until she was swept away by the elevator.


End file.
